Subject: Monthly Release
From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 1 Apr 1996 14:25:12 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 1996
Contact: Karyn Robinson, Communications Assistant 
 Rob Banaszak, Communications Director
 202-638-4200
 e-mail: [email-masked]

PARENTS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS (PFLAG)
KICK OFF FEBRUARY AND MARCH ACTIVITIES WITH 
"MOMS AND DADS GO TO WASHINGTON"

More than 200 members of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
(PFLAG) journeyed to the District of Columbia for "Moms and Dads Go To
Washington" during March.  A California chapter hosted a celebrated comedian
at a Project Open Mind Fundraiser. PFLAG received a prestigious media award
and a new member was elected to the national board.

Moms and Dads Go To Washington to Lobby for the Employment Non-Discrimination
Act
PFLAG Houston spearheaded "Moms and Dads Go To Washington," a week-long
pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. in support of the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a federal bill aimed at protecting gay and
lesbian people from being fired based on their sexual orientation.
 Currently, there is no federal law prohibiting job discrimination against
lesbians and gay men.  "Equal opportunity for employment is a family issue,"
said PFLAG national President Mitzi Henderson. "Basic to every family is the
need for its members to earn a living.  Yet for families with gay or lesbian
children, that opportunity can be denied, PFLAG is committed to the passage
of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.  It would give our children the
same redress for unfair treatment that other workers already have."

Moms and Dads came to Washington in a variety of ways.  On March 16, a
55-seat bus left Houston and traveled through seven states, picking up
families bound for Washington.  So much excitement developed over "Moms and
Dads Go To Washington" that PFLAG  chapters around the country followed
Houston's lead and made similar treks to D.C.  After a meeting with White
House Deputy Assistant to the President for Political Affairs, Marsha Scott,
the first White House liaison with the gay and lesbian community, more than
200 parents lobbied members of Congress about ENDA on Tuesday, March 19,  "We
want to make the workplace safe for our children," explained Houston
coordinator Gail Rickey.  "We tell stories of gay men and lesbians who have
been fired and people say, 'Why don't they sue?' Well, they can't -- they
have no protection. We intend to obtain the same equal employment rights for
our gay sons and daughters that our straight children currently enjoy.  Our
trip showed legislators the meaning of true family values.  We made an
impact."  ENDA has received more than 131 co-sponsors in the House, and 20
co-sponsors in the Senate.

PFLAG RECEIVES GLAAD MEDIA AWARD
In Washington, D.C., the National Capital Area chapter of the Gay and Lesbian
Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) presented PFLAG with its 1996 media award
for Outstanding Achievement in Public Service/Advertising for Project Open
Mind's two television commercials "Innocent" and "Bashing." PFLAG Executive
Director Sandra Gillis accepted the
award at the event dinner, held March 13. "PFLAG is honored to be recognized
by the country's foremost gay and lesbian media organization," Gillis said.
"This is truly a tribute to the power of our campaign.  We understand the
impact of positive messages about gay, lesbian and bisexual family members
and friends.  We also understand the negative implications of hate speech on
those we love.  PFLAG's Project Open Mind seeks to bring the truth about gay,
lesbian and bisexual people to Americans, long subjected to destructive myths
and inflammatory rhetoric about people we love."

Robert K. Goodwin Elected to National Board
Robert K. Goodwin, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Points of
Light Foundation, was elected to the national Board of Directors of PFLAG at
the organization's February board meeting.  Goodwin's term on PFLAG's board
is effective immediately.

Goodwin has had a distinguished and varied career.  Since July 1995, he has
served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Points of Light
Foundation.  Prior to joining the Foundation, Goodwin was Executive Director
of the U.S. Department of Education's White House Initiative on Historically
Black Colleges and Universities.  Earlier in his career, Goodwin was
publisher of his family-owned weekly newspaper the Oklahoma Eagle.  While a
student he served as an associate pastor of several churches in Oklahoma and
California.

"I am enthusiastic about my appointment to PFLAG's national board," said
Goodwin.  "As a longtime advocate for social justice, I am proud to be part
of an organization with effective and resonating voices about equality and
justice.  As a PFLAG leader, I can use my voice to speak out on behalf of my
gay and lesbian friends, and on behalf of gay and lesbian people everywhere.
 Discrimination has no place in our society, and I am eager to utilize my
talents and resources to denounce discrimination against gay and lesbian
Americans, and to create a just world for all people."

Suzanne Westenhoefer Headlines Project Open Mind Benefit
PFLAG Modesto/Stanislaus held a fund-raiser for PFLAG and Project Open Mind
on Saturday, February 10 at the State Theater in Modesto, California.
 Nationally known lesbian comic Suzanne Westenhoefer appeared at the
fundraiser with Mitzi Henderson, national PFLAG President.  Westenhoefer has
appeared on Comic Relief VII and had her own HBO special.

More than $8,000 was raised for Project Open Mind. "We all had a wonderful
time, it was a grand event for Modesto," said PFLAG Modesto/Stanislaus
President Linda Warden, "We owe special thanks to Suzanne who donated her
services for the event. PFLAG's profile in our community has been raised
considerably. "

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) promotes the
health and well-being of gay, lesbian and bisexual persons, their families
and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to
enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to
secure civil rights.  PFLAG provides an opportunity for dialogue about sexual
orientation, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of
human diversity.  Serving more than 55,000 members, PFLAG affiliates are
located in more than 389 communities across the United States, and in 11
other countries.

                                                       ###